Top Of The Page

Annotating your thesis is a useful way to make a more valuable resource for your viva and spend some productive time thinking about your work in preparation.

There are lots of things you could do – add bookmarks, underline words, highlight sections – but here are five possibilities for the top of a page:

• Write a ten-word-or-less summary of the page’s contents.
• Use keywords to give a quick overview of the page’s highlights.
• List one key reference for the page.
• Add a possible question that could be asked about the contents.
• Write “You can do it” as a reminder that you’re going to succeed.

What else could you add to the top of each page in your thesis to help you out? And what other annotations are you considering for your thesis?

PS: if you are looking for more viva help then you have to check out Viva Survivors Select 13, The Personal Issue. The latest issue of my viva help zine came out yesterday and is packed with advice and help on all the ways the viva is personal to the candidate – just like making your annotation right for you!